Road Shoes

Hoka One One Bondi B (Long Slow Distance): This is the shoe that made it possible for me to run on pavement comfortably. I trained for my first marathon over the summer of 2012 in the Bondis, and even ran the race in them. The Bondi makes the road feel soft and forgiving, and as a former trail runner who almost never set foot on pavement it was a revelation to be able to do so comfortably after I bought the Hokas. I use them for easy runs now, especially for longer distances. The shoe pictured is my third pair. Weight per pair: 12.4oz in size 10.5.

Nike Free 5.0+ (Easy Runs): This is a new shoe for me. I bought them to use on easy runs when I want something lighter and more flexible than the Hoka, but that still has great cushioning. It was surprisingly difficult to find a shoe that fit this need, and the Free is probably not quite what I had in mind (I would have preferred more support), but it will do the trick for those 4-8 mile easy runs that tend to dominate the schedule. Weight per pair: 9.3oz in size 11.

Nike Lunar Montreal / LunaRacer +3 (Hard Runs): I bought my first pair of Lunar Montreals after running my first marathon in the fall of 2012. I had finally adapted enough to running on pavement that I felt I could get away with a lighter shoe for hard workouts and races, as long as it still had a soft, cushioned feel. The Lunar Montreal fit the bill, and it's amazing how cushioned it is for such light weight. I do speed work on the road, tempo runs and even some harder effort long runs in this shoe, and now feel like it will be enough shoe for my next marathon. The shoe pictured is my second pair, and I have a third pair (as well as the new LunaRacer +3, which fits a little better and will be the one I use for the marathon) waiting in the basement. Weight per pair: 7.2oz in size 11.

Mafate and Helios.

Trail Shoes

Both of these shoes can be found at my favorite trail running store and former employer, The Mountaineer in Keene Valley, if you want to check them out.

Hoka One One Mafate 2 (Easy Runs): When I first tried on some Hokas in Boulder, CO I wasn't sure about the Mafate. It didn't seem to fit me as well as the Bondi, so I bought the Bondis instead even though I was looking for a trail running shoe at the time. The Bondi performed very well on trails, but at some point I wanted a Hoka with better traction and gave the original Mafate a shot. Once they broke in the fit was good, and I quickly became a convert to the Mafate for trail use. I am now onto my second pair, the updated Mafate 2, and while a bit heavier it also fits me better. It's my choice for easy paced trail runs, as well as winter road running (for the warmth and traction) and summer recovery runs (as it is the most cushioned shoe I own). Weight per pair: 13.7oz in size 10.5.

La Sportiva Helios (Hard Runs): My current all-around trail runner: this is the category of shoe that I have the most experience with. In the past I preferred a stiffer, more protective and supportive shoe for running the trails of the Adirondacks. As I've grown accustomed to road running in more minimal shoes I have found that I am happy to run on rugged trails in a lighter shoe as well. The Helios is a remarkable shoe. It is extremely light, but it has enough of a rock plate to avoid bruising the foot on all but the sharpest rocks. The toe bumper is also just enough to keep from serious damage when kicking rocks and roots. Where it shines in my opinion is the cushioning that it offers for its weight and the excellent traction that the sole achieves. The midsole is soft enough to run comfortably on roads or hard packed dirt, and the sole excels on wet rocks and roots and even most mud. Weight per pair: 9.5oz in size 44.5.

Streak LT and Vertical K.

Specialty Shoes

I love running shoes, to the point that I'm willing to buy shoes that are very specific in their use. These two are the ones I'm currently using for only one very limited purpose.

Nike Zoom Streak LT (Track Workouts): This is designed as a cross-country racing flat. I like it because it has a bit of traction for off-road running and some protection from rocks, which makes it the ideal shoe for my interval workouts on the gravel of the Marcy Field track. I'll likely use it for 5k racing this season as well--it is just cushioned enough for a few miles on the road. I have another pair of these waiting in the wings (Zoom Streak XC 3, which seems to be identical). Weight per pair: 6.2oz in size 11.

La Sportiva Vertical K (Mountain Time Trials): One of my favorite things to do is time myself up a few of the local mountains. When the Vertical K came out in 2012 it was clear that it would be the ideal shoe for this purpose, as long as it fit me reasonably well. It does, and I love it for eating up vertical gain. It's incredibly light, nicely cushioned and very sticky. It's very similar to the Helios, in fact, but due to its minimal upper and lack of rock plate I find it to be less than ideal for racing downhill, so for me it is confined to uphill time trials where I run back down at an easy pace. Weight per pair: 7.9oz in size 44.